Taking advantage of year-end tax savings
November 1st, 2008
Year-end equipment deduction: tax strategy that makes sense. By Mark E. Battersby The fourth quarter of the year is when many publicly traded companies prop up their performance records to show more favorable year-end results. The owners and operators of many specialty textile products businesses may also adjust the bottom line for their smaller, more […]
Textile Monitoring Program expands
November 1st, 2008
In late September, 73 U.S. Representatives, led by textile caucus co-chairs Howard Coble (R-N.C.) and John Spratt (D-S.C.), sent a letter to President George W. Bush urging his administration to extend and expand the Textile Monitoring Program (TMP) to cover U.S. textile and apparel imports from China, beginning on Jan. 1, 2009, the first day […]
ITAA names new president
November 1st, 2008
Nora MacDonald, a West Virginia University (WVU) professor in the fashion design and merchandising program, has been named president-elect of the International Textile and Apparel Association (ITAA). MacDonald came to WVU in 1971 as a textiles, apparel and merchandising instructor. In addition to teaching, she conducts research and creative activities related to clothing for the […]
Vinyl Roofing Division studies postconsumer recycling
November 1st, 2008
With its European counterparts blazing the trail, the North American vinyl (PVC) roofing industry has announced a new phase in its commitment to environmental sustainability through recycling. The Vinyl Roofing Division of the Chemical Fabrics & Film Association has initiated a feasibility study to evaluate strategies for making postconsumer recycling viable on a broad scale […]
Blast mitigation fabric wins PTA award
November 1st, 2008
An innovative textile with the potential to significantly reduce injuries inflicted by terrorist attack, industrial accident or natural disaster has won a national award designed to spotlight the best in performance textiles. The 2008 Performance Textiles Award for Excellence was presented to Heathcoat Fabrics Ltd. for the Auxetix material, developed in association with Auxetix and […]
Manufacturers find niches in outdoor sports market
November 1st, 2008
Tent and apparel manufacturers target their products to outdoor sports enthusiasts, finding niches—and profit. By Holly O’Dell By nature, outdoor sports enthusiasts are an adventurous crowd. They’re also very committed to their activity of choice, a trait that makes them more willing to buy items that will enhance their experiences. To that end, tent and […]
Trends expand applications for nonwovens
November 1st, 2008
The same trends that are driving development in wovens are expanding applications for nonwovens. By Janet Preus According to Dr. Seshadri Ramkumar, supervisor of the nonwovens laboratory at Texas Tech University, Lubbock, Texas, the nonwoven industry is worth about $60 billion, most of it in disposables and semidurables. That is changing, however, driven in part […]
Fabrics protect agricultural products
November 1st, 2008
From seed to store, protecting agricultural products with fabric. By Jamie Swedberg The same elements that make farming possible—the sun, the rain, the wind, the web of life—also make it a challenge. For every gentle rain, there is a pelting hailstorm. For every beneficial microorganism, there is a voracious bird that devours the last berry. […]
Tax incentives for energy-efficient businesses
November 1st, 2008
I’ve heard that the U.S. government is giving incentives to businesses for insulating their buildings. Where can I get more information? Compiled by Juli Case We contacted the Federal Energy Management Program (FEMP) and were informed that there are tax incentives for U.S. business owners who make their operations more energy efficient. We were directed […]
Threads resist high temperatures
November 1st, 2008
Compiled by Juli Case We’re making a product that goes inside a factory and will be exposed to temperatures of 400 F. We’ve got the fabric; any suggestions for an FR thread that we can use? FR usually stands for flame retardant, but that may not be what you need here. Sometimes a material will […]